


Phantom Hearts Masquerade: AU

by Sweethearted



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comedy, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2020-02-10 16:15:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18663877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweethearted/pseuds/Sweethearted
Summary: The Destiny Trio: Sora, Riku, and Kairi are invited to Castle Oblivion for their annual masquerade. Xehanort is accused of stealing the memories of the guests who attend, and so they must stop him (for the 50 millionth time) through various riddles, annoyingly long puzzles, and find clues to crash his party.* No spoilers from the games, the plot just references Chain of Memories a lot.





	1. Introduction

[Letter Template Credit](https://templatepsds.tumblr.com)


	2. You Again?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Masked, I advance.”  
> ― Rene Descartes

There’s something comforting about talking to someone wearing a mask, an elusiveness that you could be anyone or _anything_ at a party. Well, everyone understood that except for Sora, apparently, who was now stuffing himself full of dessert. His mask was pulled off to the side of his face so he could eat a piece of strawberry cake. Him, Kairi, and Riku were invited to a masquerade that came to them via glass bottle on Destiny Islands. There’s no telling how it reached them, but evidently leaving no time to contemplate the matter, as it swiftly opened a portal that hurled the trio directly to Castle Oblivion. They each were wearing an array of masks -- Sora’s was shaped with feathers and with a tiny crown affixed to the front, Riku’s was split down the middle and out in a half-crescent moon, and Kairi’s a winged, jeweled butterfly. All their outfits were carefully coordinated for the event, but each embroidered with the aesthetic of their masks.  


They didn’t choose the attire, however, but no one seemed to be questioning the events as they occurred. Everyone at Castle Oblivion was evidently enjoying themselves, music playing, and not a care in the world. The Destiny Trio conversate here and there -- well, conversations that included Kairi scolding Sora, where Riku went off exploring by himself as he usually tended to do.

“Sora, I think you’ve had _enough_ of the desserts, if I’m honest.” Kairi reprimands him for the third time. 

Sora proceeds to eat yet _another _piece of a strawberry shortcake, much to her dismay. He whines softly when she finally decides to take the plate away from him. “But it’s _so good_.” He eyes water up in a puppy-like way. Kairi’s not particularly angry with him, as she finds herself smiling. __

__“I know, I know, but you’ve gotta quit eating so we can have time to check out the orchestra and go home.”_ _

__She drags him by the arm, slinging the mask back over his eyes. Kairi was now looking for Riku so they could leave together, but was now lost among the crowd of people. Laughing and smiling, everyone appeared to be having a great time in the castle. The decorations and such were the only elements that contrasted the otherwise colorless room, “Look, look! I see him, he’s over there!” Sora rushes over to him, shouting, “Riku!”  


The grey-haired boy turns to the sound of his name, apparently having been distracted by a painting he was observing. “Sora”, he replies warmly, smiling underneath his mask.

__Riku is wearing a cape (red on the inside) that fell to his knees and a white shirt and matching cravat. He kind of resembled the Opera’s phantom with his crescent moon-shaped mask and cape. He brings out a hand to Sora, who takes it affectionately. “Are you having fun?” He asks him. _ _

__“Yeah! Kairi and I were looking for you. Any idea where the orchestra’s playing?”_ _

__Riku shakes his head no, Sora pouts in reply. Kairi catches up from the mass of people and stands next to Sora. “Riku, there you are, we looked everywhere.” She sighs from exhaustion._ _

__The odd feeling returns again as she stands there with them, but she can’t place it. Whatever it was it got stronger now. Sora somehow feels it as well with no explanation._ _

“Kairi, is something wrong?” His eyebrows come together in worry.  


__

__

She shakes her head, “No, I don’t think so, but--”

__She was interrupted as a mass of black energy swarms from the painting behind them, swallowing the entire room in complete and utter darkness. Abruptly, the hall is enveloped in silence, followed by panic and jolts of whispers._ _

__“That’s _probably_ not a good sign, right?” Sora gulps. _ _

__Instinctively, they each draw their Keyblades, but a harsh and startling voice jumps out at them, “You won’t be needing those, I assure you.” This statement came after coughing that seemed to imitate laughter._ _

__“You done yet?” Riku called out._ _

__“Snappy boy. I might be, but you’re not.” The voice from the painting finally materialized in front of them. The room, having been drenched in the eerie darkness, had now retreated inside of the figure, however their environment was still as elegantly bleak as it had been before. The figure was also wearing an elaborate mask, as well as robes that were trimmed and polished with gold. Everyone was still silent, spare for the mysterious person’s monologuing and whatnot:_ _

__“You fools must have not realized where you are! Hah, serves you right here in Oblivion Castle, right where I wanted you. Absolutely foolish, did you really think--”_ _

__“Seriously, is this going to take all day or what?” Sora pipes up as well._ _

__“Teenagers!” -- the figure retorted in response to their rudeness. “Do you-- do you really not know what’s going on?” It asked._ _

__All three of them looked to each other in great confusion, slowly shook their heads, and their gazes returned to the figure. It was a common occurrence that happens when you’re whisked away to entire other worlds. Adults just don’t get it._ _

__“No, this happens more often than you think.” Kairi said finally._ _

__“Also, your mask isn’t exactly _helping_.” Riku added, snorting. _ _

__“The three of you are wearing them too!” It exclaimed._ _

__“Yeah”, came Sora, “but you know who we are, but we don’t know who _you_ are. That’s not fair.” _ _

__“Fine! Ruin everything why don’t you--” the figure snatched off the mask, and came the face of Master Xehanort. Surprise, surprise -- but it still was to the three of them._ _

__“T-That’s impossible, we...defeated you a long time ago.” Sora blurted out._ _

__“Yes yes, but you were too foolish to realize I embedded memories into Castle Oblivion. All thanks to some help, I was able to get all of you little pests in the same place. Tsk, a little too easy, I might say.”_ _

__“But you can’t do that anymore, you can’t take our memories!”_ _

__“So you say, _Sora_ but no one said I couldn’t take _others_.”_ _

__As soon as he said this, everyone in the guest hall -- ** _vanished_**. Like ghosts, it was as though they had never been present at all. There was no music, no decorations, no party at all. It was one big mirage, and in the empty hall stood the trio. Imprinted on their faces could only be described as shock and a mixture of despair. Sora shook his head immediately in denial. _ _

________

__

__“That can’t be possible.” He said over and over._ _

____

____

“But it _is_. You were all talking to the memories of the past. Those who no longer exist, _phantoms_ as we call them here. Soon, you too will be ghosts wandering the halls.” A sickening grin made itself known on Xehanort’s face. 

____Sora’s fists clenched in anger. The other two glanced over at him. Even though he wore the mask, his eyes blazed with the fiercest of contempt. He stepped forward now, almost calm, and looked up at Xehanort._ _ _ _

____“I’m not going to let you do that.” He declared._ _ _ _

____The others stepped forward behind Sora, almost acting as his shield._ _ _ _

____“Yeah, us either.” said Riku. Kairi nodded in agreement._ _ _ _

____Xehanort shrugged off their scrap of determination and turned away from them. He opened his palms invitingly._ _ _ _

____“Go ahead, if you think you can, but you won’t have your little swords to help you this time.” He casts a magic spell over them._ _ _ _

____“H-Hey, what did you just do?” Kairi asked._ _ _ _

____Xehanort shook his head, “I can’t take away the Keyblade, but you each won’t be able to use them every time you need them. Instead, focus on the Truth.”_ _ _ _

____He tossed them each letters, each embroidered with an insignia. In them were of several documents and photographs._ _ _ _

____“Put together the Truth of this castle and I’ll set you free. It’s as simple as that.”_ _ _ _

____“If it is, then why’d you choose to reveal yourself _now? _” Riku studied him.___ _ _ _

________

___“Good question. It’s because often as you know, our memories are very good at lying to us.” With that said, Xehanort also vanished, laughing as he did so._ _ _

_____ _

_____ _

“Hey! Don’t just tell us some cheap riddle and leave!” Sora shouted after him.

______“No use”, Riku shook his head, “Xehanort...was playing games with us from the beginning. The guests weren’t real and neither was _he_. No one was here _the entire time _.” His voice grew steadily weak as he was also arriving to this conclusion._ _ _ _ _ _ __

______The other two stood with their hands at their sides, all eyes staring at the smooth, marble floor that reflected their crestfallen faces._ _ _ _ _ _

______None said a word, simply lending an ear to the silence that lingered in Castle Oblivion._ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof sorry about the cliffhanger. more where that came from
> 
> refs:  
> [Phantom of the Opera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera)


	3. Heartfelt Ensemble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Told from the Wayfinder's perspective now, most of the chapters will alternate between the three separate trios, but this is their introduction.

“You’d think they would paint the _doors_ a different color, at least.” came the voice of Terra. 

Him, Aqua, and Ventus were in the dining hall, scouring the room with interest. There was a piano among various curtains, foliage, and details -- however, as expected everything was colorless like all else in Castle Oblivion. It was elegantly decorated, they admired, as they pulled open drawers and turned different objects over. 

“Check it out, even this plant right here is _white_.” says Ven, he flicks the leaves with a finger, “Is it even _real?_ ” This is followed by a lighthearted chuckle by both himself and Terra. 

“Guys, quit goofing around, we have to find this clue to get out of here.” Aqua commanded as she turns to them.

Her mask was shaped with peacock feathers and heavily decorated, more so than her outfit, which was also a variant of the bird’s colors. Jaded blues faded into an asymmetrical skirt that made it appear to be a peacock’s tail, which fell over armor and steel boots of the same fashion. Over her shoulders was a short cape that held a sort of “regal knight” feeling to it, as she clutched the letter and documents in her hand. Herself, Terra, and Ven also had their encounter with Xehanort, and not at all happy to see him either. 

Ventus stepped forward, placing his hands behind his head. His outfit and mask had a strikingly resemblance to a Jester’s. His collar jingled as he moved and it matched his equally silly personality, pointed shoes and all. 

“We’re really trying, Aqua, _promise._ ” He said as convincingly as he could muster.  


Aqua wasn’t buying it, her lips pursed as she tucked a piece of hair back into her short ponytail. “What about you, Terra, did you find anything?” She asked. 

He showed her his empty palms and shook his head. His tiger mask moved with embedded fangs, “Not a thing, ‘sorry Aqua.” A hand moved to brush off his long coat with fur at the hood. 

Unimpressed, Aqua moved back to where Ventus stood, next to the piano. “Maybe you should _both_ wear the Jester’s outfit.” She scoffed, however, they both laughed at this. 

It was no use being stern with the two, and soon Aqua found herself smiling in spite of herself. She reviewed over the documents again, leaving Ven and Terra to do the same. Suddenly, Ven perked up and glanced at them. 

“Maybe we should try reading out the riddle again.” He suggested. 

“That’s not a bad idea, Ven, I’ll read out my portion first.” replied Terra. 

He read his part, and so did Aqua and Ven. The entire riddle went as followed: 

_**Within the Heart, slumbers an idea of sound,** _

_**In a room where the ear may be, you must listen,** _

_**So that it may unite the Light and Darkness,** _

_**As two parts of the same song.** _

“Okay, so let’s see, first off, where are we?” Aqua asked finally. 

“The...music room, right?”, Ven pointed, “There’s this piano.” 

“And the riddle has to do with some type of sound -- or music!” chimed in Terra. 

Like light bulbs going off, they all rushed toward the piano and piled the documents on its stand. 

“Look, look!” Ven points, “The notes line up with what we have on each page!” 

Quickly, Aqua rearranges them in order. Ventus’s page ends up in the center, hers and Terra’s at either end. Her hands line up with the piano as she scrutinizes the page, however, it comes out to be a stumbling and garbled melody. 

“Something’s wrong.” She frowns, removing her hands from the keys. 

“At least we’re getting somewhere”, Terra crosses his hands, “I didn’t know you played, Aqua.” He adds. 

“It’s been a while, for sure.” A smile flickers across her face. 

Ven’s palm rests underneath his hands as he looked to the pages once more. He hums occasionally, racking his brain for what could be the answer. It just doesn’t make sense, he thought, two parts of the same song. -- If there were only two….Wait a minute!

“Wait, wait, I think I got something!” He shouts out. The other two look to him immediately. 

“What is it, Ven?” Aqua tilts her head. 

“I-If, If there’s….only..!”, Aqua coaxes him to slow down his breathing, “If there’s only two parts to the song, why are there three altogether?” He points confidently. 

It sounded quite silly the moment it fell from his lips, but he insisted anyway. Both Aqua and Terra’s eyebrows raised apprehensively behind their masks, but the idea didn’t hurt to try, in any case. After several attempts, Aqua rearranged the pages so that there were only two, but no matter how she played it, the melody still did not make sense. Finally, she rested her hands in her lap from exhaustion and shook her head in silence. 

“I just don’t get it.” Ven’s face fell in discouragement. 

“It’s alright Ven, you did your best.” Terra grinned.

Aqua rubbed his head affectionately, “Yeah, don’t beat yourself up about it.” 

Yet, Ven still did not lift his head. His arms dangled at his side as he was lost in thought yet again. He said nothing for a moment, and then began whispering in vague excitement. 

“Ven..?” She called out. 

Finally, he looked up. 

“Aqua, can I try playing?” He asked. 

They changed seats so Ventus was at the piano. His hands fumbled hesitantly atop the keys, but Aqua patiently steadied them. Ven exhaled, then arranged the pages so that his own was by itself. With the aid of Aqua giving him pointers, he played through the page and found that it was a song all on its own. All of the pages had been different songs, however, his was composed of two separate melodies. It had a particularly fierce blend of light and heavier notes that only sounded complete if they were played together. Once he finished, the last note fading away, the trio each held their breath and waited. A golden key slipped out from one of the piano’s accidental keys -- exactly where the black key would start the next natural note. The unification of both “light” and “darkness”. 

“They’re the same...light and dark when they’re found in a song.” Ven smiled as he held up the key to them. 

Both Aqua and Terra smiled and reached to embrace him, and they all stood to leave. 

“How did you know that would work, Ven?” Terra asked suddenly. 

“I dunno”, he placed his hands behind his head, “I just...sorta had this feeling.”

His walking pace slowed down to a stop, “And mine was the only song like that...yours were both only ‘one’ song, and mine was ‘two’. What does that mean?” He glanced back toward the piano. 

“It means”, a loud voice rang out from the door, “your time playing _hero_ is **over** , Ventus.”

All three of them gasped at the darkness beginning to take shape in the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little longer chapter this time, but i was _sooo_ hyped to post this one!!  
> hoped you all liked it. ＼(▽￣＼


End file.
